Is laser tattoo removal worth it?
If the tattoo genuinely bothers you and you accept that this runs over months, it is the established way to fade ink without cutting skin. What it is worth in your case turns on colour, depth, where the tattoo sits and whether you are clearing it or lightening it for a cover-up. That assessment happens at the consultation, before you have spent anything on a session.
How much does tattoo removal cost in Seoul?
At Dear Clinic, body tattoo removal is ₩90,000 (≈ $65) per 5 cm per session, and eyebrow or eyeliner removal is ₩150,000 (≈ $105) per session. There is no package to buy: you pay per visit, so your total tracks the number of sessions your tattoo actually needs.
How many sessions will I need?
That is set at consultation, once your tattoo has been examined, and it comes to you as a range and not as a fixed figure. Colour, ink density, depth, age of the tattoo, its position on the body and your own skin all move the number, and clinicians use published estimation scales as a starting point. Anyone quoting a precise session count from a photograph is guessing.
Why do I have to wait six to eight weeks between sessions?
Because the fading happens in that gap. Once the pigment has been fragmented, your immune system carries the fragments away over the following weeks, and treating again before that process has run leaves less to gain and asks recovering skin to take more energy. The interval is part of the treatment itself; it is not there for scheduling convenience.
Will my tattoo disappear completely, or should I aim for a cover-up?
Complete clearance happens for some tattoos and not for others, so it cannot be promised. Residual shadowing, a faint outline or a subtle change in skin texture can remain after a full course, and certain colours may reach a plateau where further sessions add little. Lightening for a cover-up is the shorter target: a new design only needs the old one faded enough to sit over it, which usually takes fewer sessions than clearing. Say at consultation which of the two you actually want, ideally with the replacement design in mind, and your director will also tell you which parts of the existing piece are the likely stragglers.
Which colours are hardest to remove?
Dark black and blue-black ink generally responds most readily. Greens, bright blues, yellows and some reds are considerably more stubborn, and white or flesh-toned pigment used in earlier cover-up work can behave unpredictably. Multicoloured pieces therefore fade unevenly and pass through a patchy stage before settling.
Does it hurt, and what does the week afterwards look like?
Most people describe a hot snapping sensation over the tattoo: uncomfortable, and over quickly on a small piece. Topical numbing is used and cooling runs through the session, and if one spot is sharply worse the pacing and settings are adjusted while you are on the bed. Afterwards, expect redness, swelling and a brief whitish frosting on the day, then several days of healing in which blistering or scabbing may appear. Normal routines carry on while the area stays covered, clean and out of the sun; swimming, saunas and heavy sweating wait until the skin has closed.
Will it leave a scar?
Scarring is uncommon when a course is paced sensibly and aftercare is followed, though it is not impossible, and the risk rises if blisters are picked or if sessions are pushed too hard or too close together. Existing scarring from the original tattooing may also become more visible as the ink covering it fades, which surprises people more often than the scarring risk itself. Both are raised before you start.
Can eyebrow and eyeliner tattoos be removed?
Yes, and they are priced as a cosmetic-tattoo region at ₩150,000 (≈ $105) per session. These are delicate sites, especially around the lash line, so eye protection is used throughout and the pace is deliberately conservative. Cosmetic pigments can also shift colour under treatment, which is one of the reasons the first session is approached cautiously.
Can I have a session on the day of my consultation?
Often yes, if the skin over the tattoo is healthy and unburnt and the plan is straightforward. Consultation and assessment take about half an hour, and the numbing cream needs its own time on top of that, so leave a clear afternoon. Dear Clinic is open 365 days a year, weekends and public holidays included, which is what makes a six-to-eight-week interval possible to line up with return flights.
What if I have darker skin, or a recent tan?
Darker skin tones are treated more conservatively, with settings chosen to reduce the chance of pigment change in the skin around the ink, and that usually means a slower course, not a shorter one. Active tanning is a reason to postpone, so let your skin return to its baseline before your session and keep the area covered between visits.
Is the price the same for visitors, and how do I book from abroad?
Everyone pays the same published rate; KRW is what is charged and USD is shown for reference only. Photographs do most of the work from abroad: send the consultation form with clear shots of the tattoo in natural light, one of them with a coin or a ruler beside it for scale, plus the age of the piece and your travel dates. We reply in English within one business day, give you a session range in that reply, and hold the appointment without a deposit.
